* Serena is the first character to have been invited into the group by Ash.

* Serena is the first character to have been invited into the group by Ash.

* Serena is the first of [[Ash's friends]] to have known him prior to the [[EP001|beginning of the series]].

* Serena is the first of [[Ash's friends]] to have known him prior to the [[EP001|beginning of the series]].

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* Serena is the first of Ash's companions who, as a new Trainer, did not set out to obtain her first Pokémon at the introduction of the series. It took until ''[[XY003|A Battle of Aerial Mobility!]]'' before she set out to Professor Sycamore's lab.

Contents

History

As a young child, Serena was sent to Kanto, against her will, to attend a Pokémon Summer Camp, which was hosted by Professor Oak. One day, while at the camp, she got lost in a nearby forest and was startled by a Poliwag, falling over and hurting her knee. Then, she met Ash Ketchum, who was looking for the same Poliwag and spotted Serena. Noticing her knee injury, he pulled out a handkerchief and wrapped it around her wounded knee, saying that it is a good-luck charm and that the pain would go away. However, when Serena's knee continued to hurt, Ash advised her to never give up until the end and helped her up before escorting her out of the forest. Afterwards, she returned to Kalos, bringing along the handkerchief and the memory of her meeting with Ash.

Later that evening, Serena complained about her earlier practice leaving several scratches on her face. She sat down to watch a news report on an incident that was occurring in Lumiose City. On the screen, she saw Ash trying to calm down a rampaging Garchomp at Prism Tower and recognized Ash as a boy she had known in her childhood. The next day, while feeding Rhyhorn, Serena thought aloud that something interesting was going to happen and that it involved Ash.

She began her Pokémon journey in A Battle of Aerial Mobility! when she set off to Professor Sycamore's lab in Lumiose City. Immediately upon arriving, Serena questioned the Professor about the boy on television and he confirmed that it was indeed Ash Ketchum. However, to Serena's disappointment, Ash had already left Lumiose City the previous day. Serena was then offered to choose her starter Pokémon.

In A Shockingly Cheeky Friendship!, Serena chose Fennekin, received a Pokédex, and started her journey. Later that day, she continued to travel with Fennekin, but didn't want to camp out for the night after seeing some wild Venipede. She was attacked by a wild Vespiquen that she mistook for a person, only for Fennekin to scare Vespiquen away. Afterward, Serena met a Nurse Joy who told her where to find the nearest Pokémon Center.

In A Blustery Santalune Gym Battle!, she finally reached Santalune City and found Ash during his gym battle with Viola. She introduced herself to him, Clemont, and Bonnie, after returning his backpack when it was left behind at the Gym. At the end of the episode, she asks Ash if he remembers her, to which the episode abruptly ends.

In Battling on Thin Ice!, she revealed that the two of them met at the Pokémon Summer Camp when they were younger. Although Ash remembered the camp, he didn't specifically remember meeting Serena, much to her disappointment. Serena quickly regained her composure and reminded him that he once told her to never give up. Hearing these words helped Ash continue his training in order to win the rematch against Viola. During the rematch, Ash was visibly becoming overwhelmed by Viola's battling strategy, but Serena yelled at him to never give up. The inspiration that he had once given Serena was now being given to him, and these words pushed him continue the battle. At the end of the episode, after winning the Bug Badge, Ash asked Serena what her plans for the future were.

Serena officially began traveling with Ash and his friends in Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!. This was when Serena revealed why she began her journey in the first place. After seeing Ash on TV, she decided that she would begin a Pokémon journey in order to return the handkerchief he used to mend her knee injury. After she returned the handkerchief, Ash remembered their encounter and called her the "Straw Hat Girl".

Later on, Serena helped teach Ash how to ride and race on a Rhyhorn when he expressed an interest in Rhyhorn racing. While doing so, Serena's opinion on Rhyhorn and Rhyhorn riding quickly changed when the Rhyhorn were very friendly towards her. Later, while she was helping Ash learn to ride, she called out similar words Serena's mother had yelled to her during her Rhyhorn riding lessons at home. At that moment, Serena realized that she had misjudged the sport of Rhyhorn racing and that perhaps she did not hate it as much as she thought. Serena expressed in the same episode that she did not dislike Rhyhorn racing but that she wanted to find a goal that she likes even more.

The next day, Ash was captured by Team Rocket and Serena had to help rescue him. This was when Serena had her first Pokémon battle, commanding Fennekin to use Ember on the criminals. At the end of the episode, she gave Ash a pouch of cookies, saying it was her way of thanking him for all he had done for her.

In Clemont's Got a Secret!, Serena learned from Clemont's father, Limone, that Clemont is the Lumiose City Gym Leader. Although initially angry with Clemont for keeping this secret from her along with Ash, she helped try and take back the Gym from the malfunctioning Citroid. She battled Clemont's Pokémon with her Fennekin, but they managed to avoid its attacks, forcing Froakie to step in and defeat it. Later, she watched Clemont battle and defeat Citroid for the control of the Lumiose Gym.

Character

Serena has a love for fashion and clothing. An early example of this is in A Battle of Aerial Mobility!, when she spent a lot of time carefully selecting an outfit, but was troubled over which of two hats looked best. Serena then asked her mother, who selected a beret, but she promptly tossed the beret aside and picked up the other hat, saying that whatever her mother chose was certain to be the unfashionable one. Later, in Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!, Serena expressed excitement about visiting the clothing boutiques in Lumiose City.

Serena also seems to like baking and is quite skilled at it. An example of this is demonstrated in Giving Chase at the Rhyhorn Race!, when she stayed up late at night to bake cookies for Ash and the gang, which they seemed to enjoy. Also, in Mega-Mega Meowth Madness!, she had baked some macarons for the group, but were stolen by a Chespin.

Since the start of the series, Serena has proven to be a kind and polite girl. However, in Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!, she was openly rebellious towards her mother. She refused to wake up when her mother ordered her to do so and gave a sassy response to her mother's call to watch the news. This tumultuous relationship was best demonstrated when Serena's mother made her practice Rhyhorn riding, which she had hated doing.

Serena is the first of Ash's companions who, as a new Trainer, did not set out to obtain her first Pokémon at the introduction of the series. It took until A Battle of Aerial Mobility! before she set out to Professor Sycamore's lab.